Method for making organic fertilizer



`luly 5, 1949. E. w. EwEsoN 2,474,833

' METHODV FOR MAKING ORGANIC FERTILIZER Filed Feb. 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NIENTORA ATTORNE YS July 5, 1949. E. w. z-:wEsoN 2,474,833 ETHOD FOR MAKING ORGANIC FERTILIZER Filed im.y 2v, 19461` 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

,i TTOR NE 6 PMM-hhs 1940,'-

OFFICE 2.414.833 `tm'rnon Fon MAKING ORGANIC m'rrmzaa VEric l'iweson, New York, N. Y. l Application February 27, latmserialllo. 650,610

tomethods `for the maki'ertilizer from organic waste ma- This invention relates ing of organic terials. i i i It is an object of the invention to provide methods for increasing the rapidity of propagation of aerobic bacteria in a mass of moist organic material, whereby the decompositionof the organic material and the preparation of a completed fertilizer product may be hastened.

VIt is a further object ol!` the inventionto pro-` `vide for drying of thoseportions of the moist, decomposing mass in which decomposition has proceeded to the desired extent. in order to prepare a nished product of such dryness that further development oibacteria is arrested until the fertilizer product lis added to the soil or is again moistened.

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide `apparatus in which the said methods may be carried out. t i. i Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter."

`A preferred embodiment of apparatus suitable for carrying out said methods is` shownin the accompanying drawings,`in which, d

" Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus. i i Figure 2 is a section ongthe line `2-2101' Figurel.`

Figure 3 isan enlarged section -throughone of `the air distributor pipes.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing a modiiied form of air distributor pipe.

2 claims. (ci. u s) i seed stock of aerobic soll bacteria in accordance with knownpractice. If desired, certain nutri-' ents and minerals such as nitrates, urea, ammoniumsalts, phosphates, lime and the like may also be added at this time,'in accordance with knownpractice. i l i In `the past, it has been the practice for centuries to convert organic materials into soil fertilizersv by composting, the" organic materials being inoculated with stable manure, fertil garden soil or other compost material. In compting it has been recognized that aeration of the ecomposing mass was important, :and aeration has usually been effected merely by occasionally turn,- ing over a portion of the heap, although in some cases grilled receptacles .have been provided which assist aeration of the mass. The desirability of temperature control has` also been recognized, and in some cases crude methods such as covering the heap with straw or burlap have been used'to advantage.

` In composting, however, v'decomposition proceeds relatively slowly evenunder the best of conditions. More recently improved methods and apparatus have been proposed and used in which the conditions are better suited` to induce rapid decomposition, and in which the conditions I may be controlled to some extent. In the appa--` ratus referred tomoist organic material, properly inoculated, is fed to a'digester containinga series "of spaced, superposed decks, each of which is adapted tocontain a layer oi'` material about a foot thick. Air is introduced into the digester In practicing my invention-I use one or more o! the organic materials now commonly used for the purpose'.` such materials usually being waste or refuse materials which are of little or novalue for other purposes. Suitable materials include garbage, sludge,`manure, waste andirefuse from canning, iishery andsugar mills, refuse and waste from distilleries and breweri. weeds, straw, tobacco stems, wood wastes. peat and the like.

Such materials usually `contain suiilcient moisture for` eiilcient fermentation,` i. e. a moisture' content preferably in the neighborhood of 50% to 60%, althoughsatisiactory resultsmay be obtained with a moisture content as low as 40% or as high as 80%. Comparatively dry materials are advantageously mixed with very wet materials to obtain apreferred moisture content at the mass. Such organic materials are rst subjected to a cutting or grinding operation to reduce the size 1 of thepieces ofsolid `material to funiform, relatively ine condition, and the cut or ground mass is then inoculated and'thoroughly mixed with a between the decks Iso that the surface of each layer of organic material is exposed thereto.` Mechanical means such as plows are provided for stirring the material on the decks and for causing the material to move successivelydownward from one deck to the next lower deck.' Digesters of this type are, however, relatively expensive, and the mechanical complications are considerable. 'Ihe rate of propagation of bacteria is also relatively slow, due tothe factthat aeration is uneven, the exposed surface portions of the material being excessively aeratedwhile the unexposed portions suiier from inadequate air supply,

` both of which conditions hamper optimum devel- Since the ferti1iz opment of aerobic bacteria. ing value of the end product depends primarily on the synthesis and accumulation of micro organic protoplasm, in which are contained the nutrients needed by the plants, fermentation must be as eillcientas possible. This cannot be satisfactorlly and quickly accomplished by`present1y known methods.

place a mass of moist, inoculated organic material in a tank or container adapted to enclose and support the same, and I force air under pressure through said mass from underneath in order to furnish an adequate and controlled supply of air to all portions of the mass, the now of air and the tem.

perature of the air being controlled to provide conditions best suited for eiiicient propagation of bacteria and for subsequent drying of the mass.

Furthermore I withdraw spent air, i. e. air in which oxygen and in some cases the nitrogen content has been substantially reduced, and gases which may be generated during the fermentation 1 process, notably excess carbon dioxide, from ka plurality of points spaced at intervals throughoutl the mass.

Furthermore, I may, when desirable, agitate the mass slightly as decomposition proceeds to break up air channels to facilitate'the uniform distribution of fresh air to all portions of the mass, and to facilitate the withdrawal of spent airy and generated gases as previouslyreferred to. The fresh air which isforced through the mass is preferably preheated to a temperature best suited for optimum propagation of the Various strains of aerobic bacteria contained in themass. Such temperature may be between 90 F. and 150"y F. depending on the stage of fermentation, the

particular type of microbic development t0 be` stimulated, the degree' of drying desired, and on other conditions as observed bythe operator.

' by suitable cross bars II.

No satisfactory xed rule may be laid down as to the quantity 'o'f air introduced, for this will also vary depending on the nature of the materials and the stage of fermentation, but it may be noted that the quantity of air required is much `less than that customarily usedin the prior process above referred to. In general, it may be said that l/g cubic foot of air per minute per cubic foot of material is the maximum permissible volume of air, and the volume used to facilitate optimum aerobic fermentation will vary Within this maximum depending on conditions. A skilled operator, observing the process of the fermentation, will be able to,l adjust the temperature, `quantity and distribution of air as required for emcient operation, itA

ing of air through the fermenting mass hampers optimum development of aerobic bacteria by disturbing the osmosis and by preventing the slight accumulation of carbon dioxide desired as an aid in dissolving nutrient minerals needed by the bacteria. The carbon dioxide content in the spent air withdrawn is, in fact, a good indication of 4 -air will not bespent air and will benefit the next layers of the material in the same way as fresh air.` y

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate` a preferred embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the method described, and from which a. more complete understanding of said method may be had, I provide a large tankrI, preferably cylindrical in shape, having an open top into which the organic material may be fed as desired. and

` being important to note that any excessive blow- Vmass of material above.

. An air distributor 4 is located-in the lower part of the tank, extending horizontally across the tank. This distributor may be of any suitable design, but as shown consists of a header having a series of distributor pipes 6 projecting therefrom, each of said distributor pipes having a series of small air vents l drilledy therein, ypreferably on the under side, as shown in Figure 3, so that said holes are less likely to become clogged by the Alternatively, larger holes may be drilled in the upper side of the pipes 5 in each of which may be mounted a fitting, as shown in Figure 4, comprising a tube 8 having airvents 9 covered and protected by the head I Il. The distributor pipes may be supported The air distributor is connected to a compressor unit I2, which is turn.l may be connected to a heating unit I3 in which the incoming air may be heated as described to maintain the desired temperature. The rate'of flow of air to the distributor may be controlled by valve I l.

The withdrawal of spentaIr and generated gases is accomplished through one or more air collectors 4', designed like air distributor I, and having collection pipes 8' similar to pipes 5, said air collectors extending horizontally across the f tank at suitably spaced intervals, the withdrawal being controlled by valves I5.

Although there will be va. continuous downward shifting of the mass of material in the` tank as a result of thev dehydration and decomposition of the material, and as a resultr of the periodic with,- drawal of finished material, it may be desirable, especially in tanks of considerable height, to provide for additional agitation or stirring of the ma terial. This may be accomplished by supporting Y 28 to stir the ready material below air`distributor l to facilitate discharge of .this material through,

valve 3.

The tank may also be provided with a plurality of sampling ports 29 consisting of short pieces of pipe extending in wa'rdlnthrough which the observed from time' to time. 4normally closed, during the `operation \and are only opened from time to time as required.

material may` be sampled land the mperature Such portsl are In carrying out the `process with the apparatusdescribed, a mass of inoculated organic material is placed in the tank and air under suitable pressure is forced through the` mass by the compressor unit, the air ,being well distributed by the distributor 4, and the temperature of the incoming air being controlled as required. As fermentationI proceeds withdrawal of spent air and generated gases in controlled by valves I5. For example, if all of the valves I5 are closed, all ofthe incoming air is forced upward through the entire mass and the spent air. and generated gases will escape at the' top of the tank. On the other hand, if one or more of the valves I5 are opened, part of the air and generated gases will be withdrawn through the exit passages thus provided. As decomposition proceeds, a skilled operator, observing the conditions at various levels within the tank, will adjust the valves I in such manner that the distribution and withdrawal is properly adjusted to the requirements of the mass at vvarious levels.

The method may be practiced as a batch operation but is preferably practiced as a continuous operation. In the latter, of course, the fertilizer is removed either continuously orperiodically from the bottom and new material is added continuously or periodically at the top.

At the very beginning of a continuous operation, the material in the bottom of the tank below the air distributor would receive substantially no treatment, of course, and as discharged from the tank would either be discarded or returned to the top of the tank for treatment. As the operation begins, decomposition should be most active in the layer immediately above the air distributor, and at this stage 'the valve I5 of. the lowest air collector would be opened comparatively widely. As decomposition proceeds, however, the continued introduction of fresh air begins to dry the lowest material, and as drying proceeds, decomposition will be progressively inhibited. As this occurs the valve of the lowest air collector may be closed, thus forcing the air to pass into the layer next above, and the valve I5 controlling withdrawal of air from this layer would be opened. Alternatively, instead of closing the valve I5 controlling the withdrawal of air from the lowest layer, this valve may be left open, and the volume of air introduced through the valve II- may be increased to force the air into the layer above. This has the advantage of hastenlng drying of the material in the lowest layer. In no case, howevenshould the volume of air forced into the upper layers where decomposition is taking place exceed the permissible maximum above set forth. As final drying of the lower layer proceeds, however, decomposition becomes so limited that the air reaching the layer above is substantially fresh air, although it is somewhat humidied by its passage through the lower layer. Gradually, in this way, -by controlling the valves l5, fresh air is forced higher and higher until substantially all of the contents of the tank are under treatment, the lower layers being dried and the upper layers being a a state of progressive decom- Cil position from the top toward the bottom. After a state of equilibrium is established, finished dried fertilizer may be withdrawn from the bottom of the tank and additional new material may be added to the top of the tank from time to time. Throughout the operation, as previously explained, the valves I5 may be adjusted from time to time to suit the requirements of the mass at various levels.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of making organic fertilizer by the decomposition of moist organic material through the propagation of aerobic bacteria therein which comprises continuously forcing air under pressure through an enclosed mass of such material, all of said air being introduced into the mass from the bottom thereof, and continuously withdrawing spent air which has passed through the mass and gases generatedwithin the mass at vertically spaced intervals throughout the mass.

2. The method of making organic fertilizer by the decomposition of moist organic material through the propagation of aerobic bacteria therein which comprises continuously forcing air under pressure through an enclosed mass of such material, all of said air being introduced into the mass from the bottom thereof, continuously withdrawing spent air which has passed through the mass and gases generated within the mass at vertically spaced intervals throughout the mass, and continuously agltating the mass to facilitate the distribution of fresh air throughout the mass and the withdrawal of spent air and generated gases throughout the mass.

ERIC W. EWESON.

REFERENCES CITED Y The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Proctor June 9, 1942 

